Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Stephen Chifunyise
18 February 2008
Harare — THE Zimbabwe Cultural Policy was launched in the middle of 2007 by the Minister of Education, Sport and Culture Cde Aeneas Chigwedere.
The launch came after a comprehensive review of the old national cultural policy by officials of the Ministry of Education Sport and Culture with the involvement of many representatives from different sections of the cultural sector.
At the end of 2006 the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe convened in Kadoma at a cultural Indaba at which some representatives of the performing arts sector indicated areas in the national cultural policy that required urgent review in view of the dynamic developments taking place in the cultural sector especially in cultural industries.
Looking at the issues raised at the National Cultural Indaba in 2006 and at some developments in 2007, it is clear that another review of the national cultural policy is now very necessary.
Firstly, there are several actions that have been taken by the Government of Zimbabwe and which have been translated into statutory instruments or have been embodied into programmes of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture and national cultural institutions but which have not been expressed in the national cultural policy document.
One such positive action is the duty free importation of equipment and instruments. This has been very critical in the development of cultural industries. This very positive action needs to be articulated in the document as a fundamental cultural funding policy.
Equally critical has been the local content quota on radio and television programming which in the last few years has boosted the growth and viability of local music and film industries. This policy must be clearly expressed in the national cultural policy as a major strategy in the promotion of local culture.
Towards the end of 2007 the Minster of Education Sport and Culture indicated the need for tax incentives to corporations that fund programmes and institutions in the cultural sector. These ideas should be articulated in the national cultural policy as cultural funding policies.
It must be appreciated that one of the major shortcomings of the current national cultural policy document is the absence of cultural funding strategies.
The current cultural policy is clearly an expression of hope, aspirations and intentions of the nation, which are devoid of strategies for funding the growth and development of culture.
Secondly, there are now realisations and great appreciation in the nation of the enormous contribution of the arts industry to national economic development especially in terms of employment creation and income generation.
The technical and financial support provided to the other sectors such as agriculture and tourism should find their expression in a cultural policy.
The national cultural policy document should be precise with regards to cultural industries as essential small and medium enterprises that can become major contributors to our national economy.
Thirdly, there are developments in the cultural sector such as arts education which need to be given special attention in the national cultural policy document because they are the backbone of the arts industry .
The national cultural policy must stipulate strategic steps to be taken to ensure a vibrant and effective arts education environment with all key players in this area being recognised and supported.
The national cultural policy should be definitive on how private sector players in arts education will be recognised by government departments and parastatal institutions responsible for the arts.
Fourthly, since 1982 when the first steps at defining the national cultural policy of Zimbabwe were undertaken, there has been a constant tendency to define it as a policy for the ministry or department responsible for culture rather than a document that expresses all aspects of culture including those under the administration of other ministries.
The national cultural policy should express itself adequately on all cultural issues that are the responsibility of other ministries such as the following; cultural heritage preservation and censorship (Ministry of Home Affairs); film and broadcasting (Ministry of Information and Publicity); copyright (Ministry of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs); traditional institutions and local authorities (Ministry of Local Government Rural and Urban Development); tourism and the environment (Ministry of Tourism and Natural Environment);UNESCO and international cultural instruments(Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education).
The fifth point is Zimbabwe has ratified many international conventions on several aspects of culture. The national cultural policy should take on board some crucial aspects of the international conventions, agreements and recommendations especially those aspects, which enhance the nation's cultural legislations and the administration of culture.
The Convention on the Promotion of Cultural Diversity, the Convention on Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Recommendation of the Social Status of Artists and the Recommendation on the Protection of Traditional Culture and Folklore are some of the international instruments our national cultural policy should take note of.
In any case developments in the cultural sector especially cultural industries are so dynamic that an annual review of our national cultural policy is necessary.
The national cultural policy should be consistent with the national policies on tourism, communication and information, science and technology just to mention a few.
This means that once a national policy on some aspects of national development is issued, the national cultural policy should be reviewed to ensure that it remains consistent with new national policies.
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